Managing Mosquitoes on the Farm

bye-mosquito_490While most people understand the harm that mosquitoes can cause, some people in the rural areas have accepted the problems caused by mosquitoes as part of the rural life. There are, however, many reasons as to why you in your farm should strive to control mosquitoes. Mosquitoes are disease vectors. They are, for example, the major carriers of West Nile Virus in California and malaria parasites within the tropics. They also attack pets and livestock. Due to the hazards that are associated with mosquitoes, the property values in areas infested with mosquitoes drop significantly. This causes labor problems in such areas.

Control of mosquitoes can be done in two broad ways; control of mosquito larva and pupae and control of adult mosquitoes. Mosquito larvae normally live in water and adding chemical or biological substances harmful to the mosquito kills them. Adult mosquitoes live on land, either indoors or outdoors LARVAE AND PUPAE CONTROL

BIOLOGICAL CONTROL

Bacteria

Bacillus thuringiensis israelensis is one of the most commonly used bacteria. The gut of the mosquito larvae activates the bacterial toxin. It is, however, harmful to some organisms such as midges and blackflies. Bacillus sphaericus is another bacterium harmful to mosquitoes. They are available in their live states and are very effective when used to control culicine mosquitoes.

Mosquitofish

Gambusia affinis is a small fish that feeds on mosquito larvae. It is not native to many places around the world, but mosquito control strategies have ensured that they are widespread globally. You as an ordinary citizen are not allowed to introduce this fish to your fish pond or water body by yourself. You should contact the relevant government department for advice

CHEMICAL CONTROL

Oils

Since mosquito larvae develop in water, oil from a biological source can be poured into a water body where the mosquito larvae live. This will ensure that the larvae are deprived of oxygen and will die with time. The Golden Bear Oil is the oil that is used currently.

Growth Regulators

Some of the chemical substances can mimic natural substances that halt growth. Methoprene is one such chemical which when applied causes delayed development of the larvae. If the mosquitoes do not mature, they cannot reproduce.

ADULT MOSQUITO CONTROL

Biological Control

There is currently not a very effective biological method for adult mosquito control. In as much as dragonflies, bats, swallows, and damselflies feed on adult mosquitoes, they cannot reduce mosquito populations to desirable levels. Having some swallow nests or bat nests on the farm is, however, desirable as every small step is helpful.

Broad-Spectrum Insecticides

Depending on where you stay, there are a number of broad-spectrum insecticides that the government has approved. Licensed public health officers are the only ones allowed to apply these insecticides. Most of these chemicals are harmful to most insects, mosquitoes, as well as other life forms. Pyrethroids and organophosphates are the two major components broad-spectrum insecticides. They have neurotoxins that affect the process of nerve cell development. Care must be exercised while handling these chemicals as they are harmful to human beings and livestock. Conclusion

Mosquitoes are undoubtedly some of the leading disease vectors ever known. Their adaptability to the environment and their effective survival skills has made mosquito control very difficult. Considering the harm they can cause to humans as well as livestock and pets, it is important that we keep fighting them. There are many ways of mosquito control, but where possible, biological methods should be prioritized

FARMING PEST CONTROL

Farmers work tirelessly all year round as to produce yields which are of high quality. These efforts can however, be undermined by pests which destroy yields bringing about losses to farmers. To cab this pests destruction then pest control has to be introduced, and sustained others these pests will always strike causing lots of damage. Farm pest control is quite expensive and is often seen as a way of reducing overheads, but with pests destroying farmers crops the costs soon tend to add up. Pests damaging farmers crops are brought about by a number of animals which include: wild rabbits, moles, as well as rats.

Prevention of damage brought about by these pests in the long run saves the farmer a great deal of money. Rodenator is one of most efficient way of controlling pests. Should a farmer be aiming at wild rabbit control, mole pest control or even rat pest control the rodenator remains very effective. It is cost friendly and very efficient, as well. This rodenator method has been applied by very many farmers across the country. Rodenator solves wild rabbit pest problems very safely. Remotely ignites an exact mixture of gases which are explosive underground. Rodenator happens to be longest established, has been tried well, tested and is of course professionally supported and is recognized in destroying rabbit, rat and mole tunnel systems which are empty. The use of Rodenator has been approved by Defra and Natural England for legal use in England to control pests.

Pests can be controlled biologically, as well. This is whereby pests are controlled by controlling and managing natural predators, as well as parasites. An example is whereby mosquitoes are controlled by introducing a Bacillus thuringiensis species known as israelensis which kills the mosquito larva eventually controlling the number of mosquitoes in farms. Biological pest control aims at eliminating pests with none or causing very minimal harm to ecological balance in the environment.

There also mechanical ways of controlling pests. This is whereby equipments, as well as hand-on techniques are employed. We have tillage for example, whereby weeds are physically removed from the ground. Pests can be controlled by completely eliminating their breeding grounds. This is achieved by properly disposing off waste as well as draining still waters. In still waters pests tend to breed and by draining these waters pests breeding grounds are reduced, and the overall effect is controlling of these pests. There is use of baits which contain poison. This is very efficient especially in controlling rats population Meat containing poison have been used in killing birds, wolves which pose threat to crops. However, this is not very efficient because there are cases whereby ends up killing human beings instead. Farming fields in some cases have to be burnt after harvest This is especially so in sugarcane field as a way of controlling pests.

Pesticides are as well sprayed using either planes or trucks loaded with the spraying equipment. This kills pests damaging crops. Caution should however, be taken since some pesticides are carcinogenic causing cancer as well as other health complications while harming wildlife as well. There is soil steaming, which is a method of sterilization whereby pests are killed by hot steam induced into.

The Agricultural Practice of Cultivating Your Home

agriculture-impact-climate-change-monoculture-farm-photoA pocket-size farm can turn out into a magnanimous farming hobby or business. It will literally alter your lifestyle, a gyrating concept that can give your family the best profit source thereof. Such tiny investiture can be established on how strong your knowledge base is about farms. Reading some of the effective agrarian techniques and strategies is a helpful gesture, making you understand that a piece of land in the backyard of your home is double the worth and deserves to be cultivated.

The Invariable Aspects of Home Agriculture

Whether your house is situated in the far countryside of your state or in the midst of a commercialized community, a miniscule of a land property can offer you another possible exploitation. It can deliberately give you a lot of earnings but do not treat this as the main source of your income. This must only be an auxiliary activity to wear out your boredom if ever you have the leisure to stay within the bounds of your home Intended for family bonding and delectable recreation, a farming hobby or business must never incur any form of financial liabilities that can compromise your entire wealth. Thus, establishing this kind of domicile activity is done in a do-it-yourself approach, an exclusive prerogative that will save a lot of unnecessary efforts leading to indebtedness

A Constant Obsession

The inner inclination to improve the quality of life is an enough drive for you to start buying an acre of land and start building up your livestock’s barn. Similarly, watching your crops grow might become a ceaseless obsession, giving you the solace and peace of mind that you truly want. A hobby farm is an invariable asset, which means that when properly developed, it might alter your future and give you an early retirement. If mistakenly managed, it will give you the kind of frustration you never wish to happen In essence, it is always good to cultivate crops and commence the caring of farm animals with the mere thought of just escaping a disturbing city life. This is the rare chance to try something exciting, an opportunity to feed your significant others in plenty of crops. It will eradicate food shortage, natural tragedies like floods, or an inevitable profit loss. Surely, Mother Earth will be happy with your fixation!

For Income Generation and Gratification

An unbound feeling of accomplishment and an alternative to provide a means of survival for you and your family are the core elements of a genuine hobby farm. Additionally, it’s okay to put up such domesticated facility for seeking a serious reservoir of food and money, but in a rewarding manner. If you are really serious about it, an idle plot of a ground necessitates the right machinery to sow plants and bountiful crops. Also, the right equipment for your animals, like the provision of proper shelter or buying the right kind of sustenance is also essential.
Otherwise, you can never be happy if you just crave for a farming hobby or business without the allegiance of embracing the fundamentals of agrarian science.

Resources

Animals can’t speak up for themselves. Only through public awareness, research and action can industry practices be shifted to ensure the humane treatment of livestock across the board. Practical and economical alternatives are currently available, with more being developed everyday.

Get the facts.

Please join our mailing list now to receive our bi-annual report Can-Ag-Facts. The resources bellow contain information about the humane treatment of animals, livestock as well as urban wildlife. Please follow the links and contribute to the discussion of you like.

Links
Animal Welfare Foundation of Canada (www.awfc.ca)
The Campbell Centre for the Study of Animal Welfare (CCSAW), University of Guelph (www.uoguelph.ca/ccsaw)
UBC Animal Welfare Program (www.agsci.ubc.ca/animalwelfare/)
Humane Removal of Wildlife in Toronto
Sir James Dunn Animal Welfare Centre – Atlantic Veterinary College (www.upei.ca/~awc)
OVC Animal Welfare Club (www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/associations/awc)
SPCA (www.spca.com/index_a.asp)
OSPCA – Ontario SPCA (www.ospca.on.ca)

Squirrel Removal Toronto Specialists (squirrelcontrol.ca)
BC SPCA (www.spca.bc.ca)
HAPPA-NL – Horse and Pony Protection Association of Newfoundland & Labrador Inc (www.happanl.ca)

Dead Animal Removal (www.deadanimalremoval.ca)

private contractors offering carcass removal services in the GTA. Removal of dead wildlife like squirrels, skunks, opossums, raccoons.

Alberta Farm Animal Care (AFAC) (www.afac.ab.ca)
Ontario Farm Animal Council(OFAC) (www.afac.org)
Farm Animal Council of Saskatchewan (FACS) (facs.sk.ca)

Contact

hank you for your interest in the mission of CanFACT. We can’t do this alone – the animals need your help.

How can you help?

The advances that have been made over the years seeking to eradicate the suffering of farm animals, have come about with the help of dedicated and caring individuals, companies, organizations and foundations. If you wish to volunteer your time in some way, please call us to discuss the options. Should you wish to make a donation, we would be very pleased to accept a cheque payable to CanFACT and mailed to our head office. Please click here for our contact information. On behalf of animal friends, we thank you.

Please click here to read the story about Clyde, the horse.

Please contact us for more information about the issues, our programs, volunteer opportunities and donations. We will respond promptly.

Head Office:

About_US

The Canadian Farm Animal Care Trust is a charitable non-government organization dedicated to  the welfare of farm animals. Our volunteer directors include scientists and practicing farmers from across the country.

We are funded solely by Canadians who care. We are not a vegetarian or political organization, nor do we have a financial interest in any aspect of alternative farming. Our philosophy is simple:

If we choose to rear, transport, slaughter and then eat millions of animals and birds every year, then we have a strong over-riding responsibility to ensure they do not suffer.

Incorporated in 1989, CanFACT supports research into new and alternative systems proven to be both practical and economical. We engage farmers in conversations about voluntarily converting to these humane practices prior to the standardization of government regulations.

We also encourage consumers to choose products which have been produced by less-intensive “humane-approved” systems – particularly for eggs, veal and pork.

We are deeply concerned with the methods of slaughtering food animals. Our directors offer extensive expertise to slaughterhouses across Canada, in particular to those facilities responsible for killing the more exotic animals such as ostrich, rabbit and elk. We are especially concerned about improving the method used to slaughter poultry.

Although a 1960 federal legislation requires animals to be rendered unconscious by an approved humane method prior to killing, this only applies to nationally licenced operations. Hundreds of unlicenced and unregulated slaughterhouses continue to operate under provincial control without such restraints. Consequently, many thousands of animals and birds are killed by methods which cause the animals and birds to suffer.

CanFACT continues to:

  • develop Modified Atmosphere Chambers (MAC) that can be adopted economically by small slaughterhouses to render birds unconscious through exposure to a mixture of gas;
  • work with the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food (OMAFRA) to import and develop the Zephyr Pneumatic Stun Gun in its use with rabbits, hens and piglets;
  • support Hopeall horse sanctuary (NFLD) and Maritime Horse Protection (NS), which rescue horses and ponies from the long, arduous journey to Montreal slaughterhouses;
  • advocate for the ban of equine feedlots that crowd thousands of neglected horses in corrals for months prior to slaughter;
  • encourage changes to building codes for barns to include firewalls. Currently, tens of thousands of animals continue to die painfully in barn fires unchecked by safer construction methods;
  • ongoing public awareness of the plight of farm animals is important since the meat-consuming public can and will dictate how the animals will be reared, transported and slaughtered.